Tuesday, September 4, 2012

THE BOLLYWOOD DANCE WORKOUT: With Hemalayaa

I was a TA for the Indian Dance class at my university this summer, and I miss being able to work on my Bharatanatyam, Bhangra and Bollywood! So of course this DVD was very tempting, and I hoped that it would not only be a workout, but that it would include actual dance steps.

Below is a break down of the workout:

1. Warming (6 min.)

-My shoulders were so tired after this warm-up! And it wasn't that it was all shoulder or arm movements, but because a segment of it is spent doing shoulder shrugs at a slow, medium then a fast speed.

-I also feel like sometimes Bollywood is similar to ballroom in that you have facial expressions involved in your movements. This is a very Indian characteristic, especially in Classical or Bharatanatyam. So don't be afraid to just do what she says, let go, use your face! You do use one basic mudra(s) where the index finger touches the thumb (pictured on the cover).

2. Playtime Begins (7 min.)

-You begin to work with the hips and pelvis more, you also add two basic turns. Something I found helpful since she just goes for it and doesn't break the movements down is to think for one of them instead of 4 steps, 1 2 3 together or 1 2 3 switch. This might help in the transition. This section felt really good, and even though I was doing the workout in a 6'x3' space I was able to loosen up my arms and torso and just have fun!

3. Footwork (6 min.)

-I liked this one a lot! The foot work is pretty basic at first, and she does break it down for this one. She will show you slow then speed it up. You can either keep doing it slow or you can try to do it at a faster pace. Throughout the DVD you'll notice the girls in the back will sometimes do variations, if you feel more comfortable with something they are doing, go for it! There was one part that I felt like she got off from the music but I think that was because it was a difficult transition from slow to fast with the music. My absolute favorite step in this sequence was the gorilla walk! So fun, and anything similar to it is usually my favorite part in bhangra or bollywood dances.

4. Now We're Hot! (8 min.)

-This was also a fun sequence to do. The Hare Krishna step was one of my favorites. I am definitely sweating by this point. So while it isn't as demanding as running it is definitely a good calorie burner.

5. Ground Play (6 min.)

-This one involves moves that may hurt your knees. I'm used to the full bhangra bounce and don't have an issue with it, but if you aren't then please don't stress your knees! You will then transition to the floor where you do some abdominal work, which was great! and then a step that I categorize as a "sexy move". If you don't feel comfortable you can do something else, like another set of ab work or fast-forward. My favorite part of this sequence was the ab work, for sure!

6. Playful Dance (5 min.)

- This one was fun for me! Some of the movements were a little fast if you aren't familiar with the weight placement, but as long as you are working at it then it would be a great addition to your workout! My heart-rate went up during this one, which brought me into even more of a sweat!

7. Cool It Now! (9 min.)

- By far the best part of the workout! ;) After the aerobic steps it was nice to be able to relax and stretch out everything. The first stretch feels fabulous, especially when she moves into the circles with the upper body.

After completing the workout I would say that it was worth it! I might even be interested in looking at her other DVDs. The music was fun and had a great beat, and the backdrop was gorgeous as well! I would recommend it to anyone that just wants to have fun, and for the most part a low-impact workout! All of the jumps/hops are done with flat feet and you cushion the impact with the knees.